U.S. embassy honors slain Turkish guard

ANKARA, Turkey, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- The flag at the U.S. embassy in Ankara has been lowered to half-staff to mourn and honor the Turkish security guard killed in a suicide attack, officials say.

Mustafa Akarsu was killed Friday when a Marxist terrorist blew himself up at the embassy gate, the Anatolia News Agency reported Saturday.

U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone and his wife visited Akarsu's family and later called the guard "a great hero."

Speaking to reporters, the ambassador said, "God knows how many would have died if he hadn't been there,"

A journalist visiting the embassy was wounded, and two other guards at the checkpoint survived, CNN reported.

The embassy is located in a central part of the city that is considered very secure. Regardless, security measures around the embassy have been tightened. Residents of the Istanbul neighborhood are escorted to and from their homes by police and ambulances have been posted in the area.

Istanbul police have identified the bomber as Ecevit Shanli, a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party (DHKP-C), a Marxist-Leninist organization.

While Shanli was known to both U.S. and Turkish intelligence agencies, they have not revealed why he targeted the embassy.

Since the first of the year, 85 members of the group have been arrested, said Hasan Selim Ozertem, a security expert at the International Strategic Research Organization in Ankara.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.